Monday, February 24, 2014

Oven "Fried" Crispy Cauliflower Poppers

When I was growing up, there were a few "special" dishes in my mothers repertoire that I always looked forward to and even occasionally begged for. Certainly she always knew what to cook for me for my birthday. Her pot roast with mashed potatoes and onion gravy was my all time comfort dish and the special treat was a fried veggie on the side.

Yes, I said a veggie. I was a child who ate and liked my vegetables but, of course, everything is better when its fried. She would coat cauliflower florets in a generous layer of breadcrumbs and fry them until they were crisp and golden brown delicious. They always soaked up a lot of oil but that didn't hurt the flavor, of course. Oh, I miss those! These days, my hips would prefer I lay off the oil but I still wanted those crispy bits of cauliflower. I'm not suggesting these taste quite as good as mom's version but they were still golden brown and delicious. Enjoy!

In a bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Toss the small florets in the egg mixture and then toss in the breadcrumbs. Spread out the cauliflower on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spray with the non-stick cooking spray. Roast in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, toss and return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden brown.

You can serve these with your favorite dipping sauce but I just like popping these little crunchy treats into my mouth plain. And while I've been known to put away quite a lot of cauliflower all by myself, this probably makes at least two servings.

When I went off to university, the dorm cafeteria served fried cauliflower on occasion and the news would sweep through the halls like wildfire. We all loved fried cauliflower! Somehow, under the crispy coating, there was also cheese. I need to give yours a try, Anita, because it looks wonderful! Maybe I'll add a little Parmesan in with the breadcrumbs to recall the Contessa West fried cauliflower of yore.

You're right, fried food is da bomb. I love that you slimmed it up by baking it. I happen to have a head of cauliflower in my fridge, and I'm thinking this needs to happen tonight. I'm going to fake Squirrel out with this baked recipe.

Although I joke about never eating veggies, I actually love a lot them, especially cauliflower. My favourite way to cook it is roasting but damn, my NEW favourite way is oven "fried". This looks amazing, Anita! I can't believe you're making me crave cauliflower right now!

I didn't think anyone knew about these. I have tried to make them like my Mom, but have not come close. This is a Sicilian dish that is way worth making. Ours have a bit of garlic in the batter. Also fried Broccoli takes on a dif surprising taste that are delicious. If you have the time strip the cover off of the Broccoli spear stems. The stems become mellow and are delicious and just as good as the florets.